Boat of the Year 2016 Winner: Passport 545

This full-bodied cruiser stood out above the rest with a go-anywhere attitude and

A Passport to the Ocean

The Boat of the Year judges named the Passport 545 not only the Best Full-Size Cruiser Over 50 feet, but the contest’s overall Boat of the Year. “Every part, every piece, every detail of the Passport is special,” gushed Simon. “It’s art you can leave out in the rain.”

“The boat is dead silent when you’re down below sailing, even in a big breeze,” added Sherman. “You expect to hear a little creaking now and then, but not here. This is an heirloom-quality boat. It’s going to be sailing 50 or even 75 years from now. And a lot of the equipment will be original, and it will still be working great.”

“It was conceived for voyaging,” said judge Tim Murphy, “and yet, of these three boats, this is the one I’d also want to take for daysails. It’s a boat that gives you access and control to all your sailhandling hardware. You can really shape the sails.”

From the custom welding to the excellent layout to the incredible stainless-steel fabrications to the nonskid, there was nothing about the 545 the judging panel didn’t marvel over. “Kudos to the others. They were good boats from high-production yards. But builder and designer Thom Wagner sailed in on a yacht that nothing can compete with in this class,” concluded Simon. “He calls it a bluewater, ocean-busting cruiser for a couple, and that’s exactly what it is, and exactly what it will do. Considering the degree of workmanship, it’s even a good value. Sailing this boat was just like playing basketball when Michael Jordan’s on the court. You have no doubt who’s the best player.”